Reincarnated as the Adopted Son of a Prestigious Swordsmanship Family

Chapter 81: Choice

It was commonly said that the strong could easily gauge the level of those beneath them, but that was bullshit.

That was only possible when the gap was overwhelming.

Or with measurement magic or a special detection method. Or if one had an immense sensitivity to mana.

‘That’s not Akarr.’

Only after I directly showed him my Sword Aura did Akarr recognize Simurtr’s achievement.

The gap was certainly vast, but it wasn't to the point where he could see through my level in an instant.

‘He can’t even connect me with my past self.’

The timelines didn’t overlap.

Aran and Semenu were special. Besides myself, the one directly involved, there was no one who could link Exa and Simurtr.

In reality, Akarr showed no sign of suspicion even after seeing my white mana. Having slit my throat with his own hands, Akarr could not deny Exa’s death.

“Was there only one?”

“There was.”

“And you killed him yourself.”

“He was a fellow who had only recently become a great magician.”

“Even so, it is hard to believe.”

“But you do believe it, don’t you?”

“That is so. Because I believe it, I desire it even more.”

The arrogant Bahab was honest.

Even with the Sword Master right in front of him, Akarr did not hide his greed.

“I heard you are an adopted son. But with such talent, your origins are meaningless. What do you think? About joining our ducal house.”

Akarr’s interest was focused solely on Simurtr. It was what I had hoped for, and it was quite unpleasant for Aran and Orde.

‘This was a situation where I only needed to say that Beden was kidnapped.’

If I had done only that, I could have hidden the awl that was Simurtr. A father tearing down the Black Tower that had kidnapped his son.

A beautiful picture that anyone could understand.

It was a composition intended to escape the attention of forces related to Basor, my father, the Doom Species, and the Black Tower, and it was what Orde and Raphaelo wanted.

‘But why did you have to bring that up.’

Orde’s eyes were saying as much.

This was greed. An uncontrollable one upon facing Akarr. Simurtr avoided Aran’s wide-open eyes and said.

“I like Mectera as it is now. So let’s talk more about the Black Tower. Weren’t you curious?”

It was a Mectera without Gerehk.

The fact that I couldn’t kill him was still regrettable, but in truth, there was no place as comfortable as this.

I could transfer my allegiance to Degrate, but that place just didn't suit my constitution.

“Hmm. Is there more to hear?”

“If the Duke were to evaluate it, it would be a rather bland fight. In fact, it was nothing much.”

“Nothing much, you say. Even in its exiled decline, a Magic Tower is still a Magic Tower.”

“What can I do when that is the truth?”

It was Bahab who hated modesty.

He did not like humility. By nature, the more outstanding the talent, the more distinct the ego.

Akarr preferred that type of person.

“Aren't you curious as to why I sought out the Black Tower?”

“Now that you say it, I am curious. They conducted human experiments, I hear. Was it a hero complex?”

“Do I look like that kind of person?”

No.

The reincarnated Simurtr had not the slightest intention of doing so. I had never desired honor in the first place. In this life, I would become a traitor to the Empire.

Puzzlement. Simurtr read the expression contained within the poker face. It was an easy task.

“Didn’t Haryun Bahab tell you?”

“This is the first I am hearing of it.”0Even though I told her not to send word to Harkinwagen.

“I’ll need to look into that further.”

“I did it to put Bahab in my debt.”

“Hmm?”

Akarr tilted his head.

Haryun Bahab had insisted on finding Egna.

‘Is she a contrarian, or what?’

But she buried what I said could be made public. She had not reported to Akarr the fact that Barote had tried to kidnap a Bahab.

“I was kidnapped and taken to the Black Tower. In place of Haryun Bahab.”

“The main family?”

Akarr’s voice was filled with disbelief.

“Are you saying they were after the Bahab bloodline?”

“If you cannot believe it, please confirm it yourself. The person involved is a Bahab, after all.”

With a hand gesture, a paper on the desk rang. An unfamiliar mana was caught in the Sword Net.

Tinkle.

“Kidnapping, Black Tower, go and ask Haryun for the truth.”

That mana receded as Akarr spoke into the air.

‘It must be one of the talents he’s raising.’

This was a part that was different from Mectera, which only cared about the sword.

Akarr did not discriminate. He sought to take in all sorts of talents.

“It is true.”

Not long after, the unfamiliar mana created a ripple. It must have been a prearranged signal.

It was likely an answer like, Yes, it is.

“Wouldn’t this be more than enough to be called a debt?”

“You are right. Yes. What do you want?”

“How much are you willing to grant?”

“Two things. Name just two.”

Akarr’s favor was rooted in the fact that Simurtr was a talent.

If Simurtr had been insignificant, say, on the level of Hejel, she would have dismissed him the moment Simurtr mentioned a debt.

“The Duke must also consider me as someone who was not at the Black Tower.”

“Do you wish for mystique?”

“You could see it that way. I do not wish to be revealed to the world just yet. Please do not tell your close friend Basor or the other heroes either.”

“I will do so.”

Akarr answered with ease.

I didn’t believe him. He would surely tell those he was close to.

However, it was a satisfactory answer.

‘As long as he doesn’t tell Basor.’

What was important to Akarr was not Haryun.

The fact that the Bahab blood was targeted had become important, and now he would be discreet with his words to Basor. He would also remain silent about Simurtr.

That was enough. As long as Basor, who was close to them, didn't know.

“What is the other one?”

“I would like you to return Exa Mectera’s memento. As it belongs to the hero of our castle.

Wouldn't it be fitting to keep it in its hometown now?”

“I am sorry. I cannot do that.”

When he answered, Akarr was smiling.

It was a smile that only one who knew the truth could make.

Hero of Mectera, hometown. These were words that someone who remembered Exa could never utter.

‘My evaluation of him will drop.’

Talented, but still young.

Now Akarr had no choice but to think that way.

My audacity would be packaged as vigorous spirit, and the request for the memento as a sort of admiration possessed because I was still young.

“Hometown. Right. That would be better. But I still have lingering attachments. It holds a deep meaning for me as well. It is the only means to remember him.”

Greed had sprouted, and I had thrown it out there, but I hadn't actually expected much.

‘I did actually want it, though.’

I hadn’t thought he would give it up so easily.

A debt. Then what should I receive for the remaining one?

That, Simurtr had already thought of.

“How about something else? Yes. For now, how about building your training at Bahab under the status of a house guest.”

Let’s embrace him for now.

Mectera has various precedents of casting out adopted sons, so all I need to do is win over the adopted son’s heart.

‘He must be having such thoughts.’

Akarr Bahab’s eyes curved bizarrely, without a wrinkle. Facing him, Simurtr thought.

Greed. What I wanted to obtain from Bahab was something I thought of after seeing Akarr’s eyes.

“Training. Will you help me?”

Orde’s and Aran’s eyes widened.

You should obviously refuse, why are you asking such a thing? their eyes said.

“If this Duke has the time. Occasionally.”

“Will you also teach me the Swelling Flame?”

But Simurtr paid no mind to their gazes.

If I had cared about such things, I would not have taken Degrate’s Phantasmal Ability in the first place.

“I cannot teach it to you, but I can show it. What you gain through that would be your share, would it not?”

Conversely, Akarr’s greed became even more apparent.

He might come over. He had begun to think so.

“Then that’s great for me. I’ll stay, for now. Hmm, for about a year.”

Swelling Flame.

Simurtr, who had embraced Asha, now began to covet Bahab’s flame.

***

After Akarr’s audience was all over.

The main character, Hejel, appeared listlessly only at the end of the banquet.

Midnight. It was the time the birth banquet ended.

The distinguished guests went to the guest rooms prepared in Bahab Castle, while the nobles who weren’t returned to the lodgings they had reserved in the territory.

“Dad, aren’t we sleeping over?”

But Ruina Harkinwagen ran.

She moved her feet while operating her mana. The moonlight was unusually faint today, so she also had to heighten her vision.

In front of her, Homer Harkinwagen was running.

“How can I sleep in such an unpleasant place?”

“Other people are sleeping just fine.”

“Even if other people do, you shouldn’t. You’re this dad’s daughter, aren’t you.”

Homer Harkinwagen was in a foul mood.

It was because he had set foot in the damn annoying Bahab. It was a land he would not have come to if not for his daughter.

“You should have at least rented a carriage. What’s with this running in the middle of the night.”

“This is also part of training. Renting a carriage costs money, you know.”

“How much could that cost. I said I’ll pay. I have a lot of money too.”

“It’s not that the money is a waste. This dad has much more money than you.”

“Then why.”

“If we rent from Bahab, doesn’t that money eventually flow to the Ducal House of Bahab?”

“We could have rented from Huit.”

“Huit is no different from Bahab’s.”

Ruina Harkinwagen scrunched up her face.

Her dad’s aversion to Bahab, no, to heroes, was enough to make one sick.

“How was the banquet? Was it fun? Of course. It had to be fun. It was a place our daughter went to after insisting and insisting so much.”

When they received Bahab’s invitation.

Homer had intended to burn that invitation immediately. Ruina had stopped him. She was curious about a banquet held by a Hero Family.

“It wasn’t that fun.”

I had expected something special since it was a Hero Family’s banquet. But there were overwhelmingly more adults than peers.

I thought there would be a ton of groups discussing martial arts, as they were a Hero Family and a martial family.

Everyone was discussing politics, and the attendees were only interested in the Hero Family’s power rather than their martial arts.

‘If it was going to be like this, I should have just let him burn it back then.’

Ruina anticipated her dad’s nagging that she would soon hear and steeled herself.

“See? Dad was right, wasn’t he? I said we should go to the Sword Tower instead of Bahab. If you had gone there with this dad, Lady Lete or Lady Ejel would have gladly given you direct guidance. Tsk.”

So far, it was tolerable.

It wasn't like he was wrong.

“If Lord Exa had seen you, he would have truly thrown a fit. Why did you trail along to an invitation that treated you like a subordinate, asking what there was to learn from that son of a bitch.”

“……”

His mouth had gotten foul.

But it was still okay.

“It’s the same with the other heroes. Has this dad ever been wrong? Those sons of bitches are all stingy and petty, it’s a place where they only brag about themselves. Haven’t I told you time and again.”

“……”

I knew how many hardships my dad had suffered in the Doom War.

“Of course, it’s true that you had to experience it someday. But at least it wasn’t this time.

What’s so important about some punk’s birthday. You should have paid more attention to Lord Exa with that time and effort.”

“Dad, you sometimes sound like a fanatic.”

My patience reached its limit.

Tired of the nagging, Ruina opened her mouth.

“What? How does this dad look like a fanatic. I was only stating the facts.”

As expected, her dad flared up.

He stopped running and looked back.

“The other four are heroes too, you know. To be honest. I didn't say it because I was thinking of you, Dad.”

“What is it. Say it.”

“Honestly, aren’t the other heroes more amazing than Lord Exa?”

“What? How could you make such a reckless remark…! And my daughter at that… how dare you!”

Homer’s face flushed red.

His hands were clenched tight. Ruina gulped at the fist with veins popping out all over it.

But she spoke again. Normally, she would have stopped here, but today was different.

“They are alive. Lord Exa almost ruined the grand plan, and the other heroes cleaned up the shit for him. Am I wrong?”

They said no dad could win against their child. This dad always tried to win against his daughter.

So today. Ruina planned to win against her dad. She had found out information that might be her dad’s shame.

“You! You! Youuu! How dare you say that about Lord Exa! That Lord Exa almost ruined things! I told you that could not have happened!”

As expected. Her dad went into a frenzy as she had predicted. Ruina, fed up with the sight, shook her head.

“The King of the Doom Species? The other four killed that monster? Nonsense! That is a foolish remark you can only make because you have not seen Lord Exa in person. Those four are weaker than Lord Exa even if there were eight of them.”

A fanatic. No matter how I looked at it, when mentioning Hero Exa, her dad was just like that.

But he wouldn’t admit it. Ruina hated that about him. If it weren’t for this, he would be a truly perfect dad.

“If the King of the Doom Species was killed, Lord Exa would have killed him, there is no way those four could have killed him. Rather, they must have just taken the credit.”

I understood his respect for Hero Exa.

I also knew all the anecdotes they experienced together in the war.

It was too much. I didn't think it was something he should even force on his daughter.

“So hurry up and apologize. Hurry and pray to the heavens. Lord Exa is watching over this dad even at this very moment!”

“Dad.”

“I said apologize to the heavens, not to this dad! Speak to Lord Exa. Politely!”

“Dad, by any chance. Did you have an illegitimate child?”

“What kind of novel nonsense is that now. Hurry and apologize! The environment you were born in, your food, clothing, and shelter, the swordsmanship you learned. All of it originated from Lord Exa….”

Homer’s fist trembled. The insult of an illegitimate child didn't even register in his head.

She was his beloved daughter to whom he could give everything, but at this moment, his daughter had crossed the line.

“I’m serious. I’m going to tell Mom. So answer me first. Do I have another sibling? I think it was a boy.”

But Ruina did not stop.

This was a chance to win against her dad, but it was also a very important issue.

Even at this moment, her beloved mother loved and was waiting for her dad.

But her dad might have already betrayed her mother long ago. That fact tormented Ruina.

“So what nonsense is that…”

“Egna, he said his name was Egna Harkinwagen. I heard it at the Banquet Castle. Are you still not going to talk?”

In that moment. All strength drained from Homer’s entire body. His eyes widened, and his mouth fell open.

“What… what did you say? What did you just…”

Even though his eyes were on Ruina, he couldn't see her.

“Egna, Dad. Egna, Egna Harkinwagen. I told you to be honest, right? I know everything.”

Because his vision had blurred.

Something from his memory, not Ruina, formed on his retina.

“How do you know that name…”

I swear.

Homer Harkinwagen had never told anyone the name of his fictional grandson.

There was only one person who knew that name.

‘He has returned!’

Egna. Harkinwagen.

A combination that could never come about by coincidence.